Amman, Sept 8 (Petra) – The Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) said Monday the wood and furniture industries is a vital sector with high added value, as the sector recorded remarkable figures in the last five years and exports reached 71 countries.
The sector incorporates 1,726 industrial facilities with total investments estimated at about JD294 million, providing more than 8,000 direct job opportunities, according to a JCI statement.
The annual current production volume topped about JD350 million, 3 percent of the total current production of manufacturing industries, while the percentage of added value reached about 40 percent of total production during the period (2014-2024), underlining its pivotal role in the national economy and strengthening local production chains, it said.
The size of the local market's wood and furniture industry reached about JD500 million, JD286 million of which directed to local consumption, about 57 percent of the total market.
Products are diverse and include home furniture, office and hotel furniture, doors and windows, supporting wood products, in addition to packaging and storage products, such as wooden pallets and boxes, said the statement.
Exports amounted to about JD38 million last year, with a compound growth of 13 percent over the past five years (2019-2024), gaining access to 71 countries around the world, it said.
Saudi Arabia topped the list of importers with about JD22 million, 57.9 percent of the total, followed by Iraq, 13.7 percent at a value of JD5 million, while Kuwait and Palestine had similar percentages of about 3 percent each.
According to World Trade Organization data, the sector has untapped export opportunities worth about $21 million, of which about $13 million to the US market, particularly in upholstered seating products with wooden frames and bedroom furniture. This reflects a significant potential to increase the competitiveness of Jordanian exports in high-demand markets.
The Chamber said the wood and furniture industries sector, with its high added value and quality that reflect Jordanian craftsmanship, is capable of enhancing national products in local and global markets, provided its competitiveness is enhanced and obstacles removed.
//Petra//SS
